After Miyazawa Kenji's death, a black notebook was found in the lid of his trunk. It was filled with the repeated copy of a Buddhist prayer, "namu myoho renge kyo", a verse from the Lotus Sutra. Amongst the repeated mantra, the above poem was written. It dates, November 6, 1931, a time in Miyazawa Kenji's life when he was quite ill.

Miyazawa Kenji was a social activist, writer and teacher who dedicated his life to rural farmers.